Fidelity
by Murtagh Strikes Back
Summary: James has always been committed to Lily. So, when he stands her up, she brushes it off. But when it happens again, she begins to grow suspicious. Is James Potter, the love of her life, cheating on her? Or does James have something else up his sleeve?


"Great. So, tomorrow at seven, then?"

"Yeah. I'll be here to pick you up. See you then, Lily."

He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, then disapparated. I smiled and went back inside. James had been acting very strange the past few days. He was really jumpy and nervous. He would start saying something, fumble over a word, then completely lose track of whatever he had been saying before. So different from his usual confident, relaxed personality. Today he had turned up on my doorstep unexpected, just to ask me on a date. As soon as I accepted, he bolted. He couldn't get away fast enough. What happened to the James Potter who would come over uninvited, let himself in, and make himself completely at home? I had always loved the way he was so comfortable with our relationship. His new nervous demeanour was cute, for sure. I just hoped it didn't last too long.

The next day, I spent several hours getting ready. We hadn't been out together properly for ages, and I wanted to look special. I wore a pretty cami and a pencil skirt that fit me like a glove. James always loved that skirt on me; he said it made me look sophisticated and elegant. I think he just liked it because it showed off my arse. I have a fairly voluptuous figure, and James has always liked me best in clothes that show off my curves. To be honest I think I am a little too chubby, but I try not to go on about it too much.

After I was ready, I sat down in the sitting room and waited.

And waited.

At 7:45, I had had enough. I went back upstairs, tore off my outfit and pulled on my comfiest tracksuit. What was he playing at? James had never stood me up before. I needed comfort food. Yes, it really felt like one of those icecream-for-dinner nights. I went into the kitchen and grabbed a carton of ice-cream, then settled down on the sofa. Really, there had to be a reasonable explanation for all this. He would never do that to me without a good reason…would he?

The next day, I flooed over to his house, only to find that he had gone out. I let myself in anyway. The place was a bit of a mess. The dishes hadn't been done, and there were piles of laundry (dirty and clean) all over the place. Typical James. I sighed, and began cleaning it up. I never could stand disorder, even in someone else's house. I was just putting the last of the dishes away when he arrived home.

"James! Where were you last night?" I demanded as soon as he got through the door.

He looked nervous. I saw him swallow several times. After a moment, he replied, "I was, erm, really tired. Yeah, I was tired so I decided we should do it some other time."

All hail the master of brilliant excuses.

"Well, thanks for letting me know," I snapped, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Look Lils, I'm really sorry. Let's meet up some other time. How about you meet me in the Leaky Cauldron tomorrow lunch? Is that ok?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll be there." I could never stay angry at him for long.

"Great! Well, see you!" He grabbed my hand and positively dragged me to the door. What was wrong with him? It was like he really didn't want to see me.

"Just get it over with Prongs!" Sirius advised his best mate. "I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

"It could ruin our relationship," James groaned in response. He was sitting on the sofa, his shoulders slumped, looking thoroughly miserable.

"Like it will. She loves you, mate. Even I can tell. Look, you just have to way something. Lily isn't stupid, she's noticed you've been acting differently. If you don't do it soon, she _will _dump you."

"I know," sighed James gloomily, "I just don't know how."

I strutted into the Leaky Cauldron, grinning confidently. Everything was going to be fine, I knew it. James would come, we would talk it all over, and our relationship would be back to normal.

I looked around. He wasn't there yet. No matter, he was always late. I could wait; it wasn't like I had anything else to do.

Ten minutes past. Then twenty. Then thirty.

Eventually, I got sick of waiting. Once again, I found myself lying on my couch in my daggiest tracksuit, clutching a carton of ice-cream and feeling sorry for myself.

He had stood me up again! Once was excusable, but twice? And why? What could he possibly be doing?

Suddenly, the most horrible idea occurred to me. What if he…

NO! No way. James would never! I loved him. He loved me! He had no reason to…did he?

What if he did, though? What if he didn't really love me? What if he was sick of me. Maybe I was boring, too needy, hopeless in bed. Maybe he had had enough.

He was a marauder, after all. Once a marauder, always a marauder. The marauders had never had any qualms about such things, after all.

There was only one possible explanation.

James Potter was having an affair.

The next few days were utterly dreary. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. I was haunted by the thought of this 'other woman'. What was she like? Was it someone I knew? My mind was on overdrive, running over all the women James might know, and which he was likely to cheat with.

_Well,_ I thought bitterly,_ I hope they're happy together at least._ I resolved not to contact him again. If he thought he could cheat on me, then come running back and be forgiven, he had another think coming.

The very day after I made my decision, he came to visit. My resolution was already crumbling. What could I do but let him in? Still, I couldn't bear to look him in the eye. Images of him in bed with another woman kept floating through my mind.

He walked in and sat down on the sofa opposite me. He opened his mouth as though to speak, then shut it. He leaped up from his chair, and went over o the window and stared out, with his back to me. Then, he abruptly spun around, walked over to the seat and sat back down. Then jumped up again and began pacing. The whole time, I just sat there in bemused silence, watching him. I didn't know what was wrong with him. If he was trying to confess to cheating, I wasn't going to make it easier for him.

He turned back to face me, took a deep breath, then muttered, "No," and kept pacing. Eventually he tried again This time, words came out.

"Lily," he began at last, "I've been trying to get this out for days. Those times when I stood you up, I just chickened out at the last minute. I'm really sorry. Lils, I love you. I always have. And I…I…"

What? This didn't sound like a confession of infidelity.

After a pause in which he looked like he might faint, he began again. "I wanted to ask you...well, I was wondering…" Suddenly he dropped to one knee beside me, and pulled out a ring from his pocket. It had a large emerald, surrounded by a cluster of tiny diamonds. It was beautiful.

"Lily, will you marry me?"

My head was spinning. Hames still loved me. He wanted to marry me. And I already knew what I wanted.

I took his hand, and pulled him up so he was standing. I tried to say something, but I seemed to have lost all control of my voice. Eventually, I managed to say, "Yes!"

For a minute, he just stared into my eyes. Then, he bent and kissed me. A tender kiss, filled with love and emotion. When we broke apart, it finally began to dawn on me. I was going to marry James. I would be Mrs. Lily Potter.

What a beautiful name.

Later that night, as he lay beside me, I remembered how miserable I had been only a few hours ago. But I didn't want to think about that now.

"James?" I murmured in his ear. I wasn't sure if he was awake.

"Hmmn?" He mumbled back.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you before."

'You don't have to apologise," he said softly. "Why, though? I was ignoring you because I was too nervous to face you, but why were you ignoring me?"

I blushed, inwardly grateful for the darkness that hid my red cheeks. "I thought you were cheating on me," I admitted at last.

"God, did you really? Lils, I would never cheat on you!"

"I know now. I was being stupid."

"Am I hearing things? Did Lily Evans just admit she was wrong?"

"No, you were obviously hearing things," I responded sarcastically.

"Thought as much."

I laughed lightly. I was so happy. I was marrying James, and we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. We would start a family and watch our children grow.

I still couldn't believe I had actually doubted James' fidelity. But now I knew how stupid I had been. And I would never doubt him again.


End file.
